How To Set A Table With Nate Berkus

"I've never been the cook in the family, so I learned how to set a mean table," says interior designer, author, and TV star Nate Berkus. While the chic tablescape he created for us is fit for a gourmet meal, it can be easily recreated at home thanks to Berkus's tried-and-true guidelines. Click through to watch him transform an empty table and get his tips along the way. Try it tonight—and ask someone else to handle the cooking.

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Step 1: Start with a Blank Slate

Step one for a beautiful table setting: a clean, blank table, with all the pieces you'll need close-at-hand. "Know what you need to make your hostessing job easy," says Berkus. "Room for wine. Salt and pepper within easy reach. Once you have that, you can start on the design details of the table."

Ben Wessel

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Berkus's first move is setting down a non-traditional tablecloth. "Create your own look with custom table linens," he says. "Measure your table and ask the dry cleaner to finish a tablecloth for you. It's a great way to turn what might be a dinged up tabletop into a work of art."

The tablecloth is made from Bungalow fabric Berkus's collection sold at Calico.

Ben Wessel

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"I love that this fabric looks well-traveled but it doesn't feel distinctly from any one country," says Berkus of the Desi fabric used for the runner. By choosing something that plays off the tablecloth, you're establishing your color and pattern palette for the setting.

Ben Wessel

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It doesn't have to be complicated. "Just reach for things that you already have, like pretty bowls or elegant vases," says Berkus. "They create height on the table without being overbearing." One rule to remember: Keep things low. "This way you avoid people talking across a table but not being able to see one another over a tower-sized vase."

Plates don't have to match perfectly to look great. "Let go of the worry of everything matching and embrace the idea of everything coordinating," says Berkus, who recommends using a variety of styles of plates in the same color palette.

Berkus also introduced a bright yellow to the table via napkins made from his El Convento fabric.

Keep it simple. "I think people stress about what a centerpiece needs to be," says Berkus. "I prefer to do something monochromatic—a single species of flower in three to five vases to create some movement on the table."

Ben Wessel

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Again, simplicity is key. "Metallic and clear glasses are a good investment, because as your taste and style changes, you can still layer them with any colors or textures."

The brass leaf tray Berkus originally tried for the centerpiece felt too big for the table, but he wasn't done with it. "I'm always reaching for three-dimensional things to hang on the wall," says Berkus, who tied a piece of ribbon around the platter's feet to hang it behind the table. "I like what it brings to a space."

Ben Wessel

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The Result

The result is a sophisticated setting that makes the most out of simple choices and a few design risks.